From law school to love... Soumya and Bryan's romance unfolded in the US, but they chose to wed in Rajasthan, India. WeddingSutra FavoriteElite Wedding Planner designed and executed the memorable affair; Check out some of their candid moments here.

How We MetSoumya and Bryan met each other at a law school in 2009 and had their first conversation at a bus stop. After class that day, Soumya found that Bryan was the only classmate present there. Despite the fact that they had never spoken to each other, she went up to him and started complaining about the class she had just finished without any hesitation. Eventually, they became friends, and since he lived in her neighborhood, he gave her a ride to college every day. Over time, they grew closer, and their first lunch date was only the beginning of a long relationship.

ProposalKomi, an American-Mediterranean restaurant in Washington DC, is known for its delectable food and sought-after tables. Bryan had put his name on their list for several days before he got a reservation. When they confirmed, he decided to propose to Saumya on that day. On the day of their dinner, he arranged for a private tour of the Washington National Cathedral. After the show-around, he took her to one of the church’s balconies that overlooks the city and offers a splendid view. Soumya noticed how nervous Bryan had suddenly become and realized what he had in mind. Both of them knew what her answer would be. The moment she saw the ring, she grabbed for it in her excitement, yet Bryan made sure that she said “Yes!” before he slipped it on her finger.

Wedding VenueSoumya always wanted to get married in India, so she, Bryan and their parents for a property that fulfilled all their needs. After considering a few options, they closed down on Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur as the families were impressed by the hotel’s warm hospitality and the striking architecture. Brijesh Sharma, he Director of Sales and Marketing at the hotel, was especially helpful and made the process so easy from start to finish.

Wedding PlanningSoumya’s father hired Elite Wedding Planners to plan a distinctive and memorable wedding. Elite Wedding Planner are a luxury wedding and event planning consultancy that designs, plans and produces bespoke events across India and internationally. Amina from District Groove in Washington, DC was our choreographer and she did a fabulous job with their sangeet performance.

Wedding Functions

SangeetA regal red and gold setup was created for the duo’s sangeet with ornate arches and rich drapes making the backdrop of their stage. The couple entered the venue in a rickshaw that was followed by a procession. For their first function, the bride opted for a golden gown designed by Sabyasachi while the groom wore a black achkan by Paresh Lamba. Both of them being big Shah Rukh Khan fans, they danced to the hit track, ‘Tujhe Dekha To Yeh Jana Sanam’ from the evergreen hit ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.’

MehendiThe mehendi followed the next morning and was held at Vivanta by Taj - Hari Mahal. Bright colors formed the decor palette or this function. Marigold blooms and decorative umbrellas further enhanced the pop vibe. The function included activities like cricket, folk dances, henna application and traditional music. Soumya was very keen on having street food at the wedding, and so that formed the menu for lunch. She wore a red salwar kameez by Rohit Bal while Bryan opted for a Blue Bassam kurta.

Sufi NightThis was a night of entertainment filled with Sufi singing and lots of dance performances that interpreted Soumya and Bryan’s love story. Blue was the primary color for the decor of the Sufi Night. Golden accents that could be spotted in centerpieces and various other elements. The bride wore a grey Manish Malhotra and a blouse designed by Sitara while the groom opted for a black suit from Alton Lane.

WeddingThe couple followed Tamilian rituals at their wedding, and the decor constituted of fresh flowers. The bride wore a gorgeous gold saree by Sitara and changed into another outfit by the same designer as per the Tamilian rituals while the groom went with a red kurta by Sabyasachi. The lunch was a traditional South Indian meal served on banana leaves which Bryan believes was his best Indian meal till date. The couple organized for foot spas for guests during the break between the wedding and reception.

ReceptionWhite made for a big part of Soumya and Bryan’s reception decor with accents of pink bringing in touches of color. The highlight of the set up was a wish tree that was covered in flowers. Guests were asked to write down their wishes for the newlyweds and a tie them to the vines that of the tree. The couple invited the band A26 to entertain their guests. Soumya stunned everyone in another gold saree by Sabyasachi that was paired with a red blouse, while Bryan opted for a white sherwani by Rohit Bal.

Advice For Couples“Don’t try to nitpick everything. Couples should just get with the flow instead of trying to control the whole affair. Have a lot of fun - after all, it’s your wedding!”

Had we been invited to Mia and Marshall’s wedding we would go there expecting a lot M&M’s. Whether or not, the couple made this brightly colored crunchy chocolate the prime dessert of the evening, we’re not sure. However, what we do know is that their love story was just as sweet and their wedding packed the same flavor! The bride shares with us the highlight of her big day.

How We Met In the winter of 2007, Marshall made a trip out to Los Angeles from Texas, with his cousins, to visit his uncle and aunt. At a Christmas Eve service we’d coincidentally attended, his aunt introduced him to me. A few days later, we became friends on Facebook and Marshall asked for my number. Two years later, Marshall flew out to California to meet my parents and this was the beginning of a beautiful long-distance relationship. Eight years later, Marshall decided that it was time to pop the big question and asked me to marry him.

Wedding Venue Since we met in the Los Angeles County, we decided to get married there as well. Marshall lives in Texas with his family and I live in California so it was a destination wedding for his side of the family. Our wedding ceremony was at the First Baptist Church in Pasadena, CA (the same place where the music video of Pharrell Williams’ song ‘Happy’ was shot!). Our reception took place at Palladio Banquet Hall in Glendale, CA. Our photos were taken at Pasadena City Hall, also the location of many Hollywood movies and TV shows such as Parks and Recreation.

Wedding Planning Wedding shopping wasn’t too hectic because I only had to shop for one gown. I bought my gown from the Bridal & Special Times boutique in Pasadena, CA and it was designed by Allure Couture. Marshall's tuxedo was from the Men's Warehouse in Glendale, CA. My diamond earrings were a gift from my brother from Jared's Jewelry store and my diamond necklace was a gift to me from Marshall's family. My engagement shoot outfit was from Frontier Heritage in Los Angeles.

Fortunately, I did not face any challenges organizing an ethnic Indian wedding in the USA as it is a very common occurrence these days. I had a lot of help from my friends, families, the bridal party and my amazing vendors.

Wedding Functions

Wedding We had a typical American wedding. Our ceremony was held under the non-denominational Christian belief and lasted 2 hours. To symbolize our unity, we lit the unity candle which signifies our personalities becoming one on this journey. Lastly, we exchanged vows and sealed our marriage with a kiss. Since the church was so beautiful, we did not need a lot of additional elements to deck up the interiors. A few floral arrangements and lots of candles did the trick.

Reception The reception immediately followed the ceremony and the decor was inspired by the classy glamor of 20s’ America, evocative of the set of The Great Gatsby. Our wedding colors were black and gold and we requested our guests dress up in attire suited to a black-tie event.

North and South came together at this wedding that was exemplary in every way - from the happy, inclusive families to the open spaces to party into the fact that they cherry picked the nature of their ceremonies and celebrations from both cultures. And amongst the hundreds of decisions they had to make in the run-up to their wedding, Akanksha and Krishna’s choice of photographer was the easiest. Krishna says giving KnotsbyAMP the responsibility of documenting their most important day was a no-brainer. Anupam, his senior in college, has an excellent reputation as a wedding photographer that is well earned.

The groom tells us about everything that went into making their big day a memorable one and shares pictures of the celebrations.

How We Met Akanksha and I met as colleagues in Noida and were very good friends for quite some time. Gradually we became closer and soon we were committed. When we shifted to Bangalore for professional reasons we were lucky to be able to make the switch together. Before we knew it, we reached a point where we were ready to spend the rest of our lives together.

Although we come from vastly different cultures, our families accepted us and welcomed our love with open hearts. We are blessed to have such mature and understanding people in our lives.

Wedding Venue Bangalore was the perfect place for our wedding because it was convenient for both families and all our friends. Also, this was the city where we would be able to execute a wedding that would be just the right blend of north and south Indian cultures.

We didn’t want a typical banquet, convention center or hotel so we went looking for a venue with open spaces and a soul of its own. Something so versatile it would be ideal for both, a jazzy North Indian sangeet as well as a classy south wedding.

And fortunately, we found and finalized Templetree Leisure! Given its magnificence and the fact that it fit our budget, we were thrilled with its location within the city. Their staff was very professional and their management, impeccable. People they’d referred and recommended to help us put our wedding together were great too. As for the lighting and sound, their in-house team did a fabulous job.

Wedding Planning With us in Bangalore without our families, Akanksha and I decided to do the research, meetings, and legwork ourselves. When our families did visit, all that was left was to take the final decisions and of course, help us with the shopping! It was very efficient.

Mr. Venkatesh, Manager of Templetree Leisure, was very helpful and suggested a few decorators. We finalized Wedding Solutions who were an absolute pleasure to work with. Not only did they give us beautiful ideas, they were proactive event planners. And they assisted us with information even in areas not related to decor. They owned it and our interactions were pleasantly and refreshingly non-transactional.

When it came to finalizing our photographer it had to be KnotsbyAMP. I’ve known Anupam from my days in BITS where he was my senior. His work was already very famous in BITSian inner circles. Anupam and his team were super professional and creative throughout the wedding. While we had faith in the team and their work right from the start, our experience just reinforced the fact that they are one of the best teams to have at your wedding!

Mr. Debashish Das was the makeup artist recommended to us by Wedding Solutions. Deb insisted on natural looks and relatively minimal makeup. He dealt with the tricky problem of making the bride stand out on her wedding day despite the subtle makeup with finesse.

Wedding Functions

Haldi and Mehendi This was a fairly intimate function because of which the need for a bigger venue was eliminated. We decided to have the rituals at Akanksha’s home. Wedding Solutions created a beautiful backdrop with green and pink drapes and orange flowers.

EduruKolu Just before the sangeet, we had a Telugu ceremony where the bride welcomes the bridegroom and his parents. Akanksha wore a pink kanjivaram saree and I wore an Indo-Western outfit by Manayvar.

Sangeet Our sangeet was held at night. Peach drapes adorned with daisies, carnations and baby’s breath created a pretty backdrop. Fairy lights were used to create a glowing curtain at the entrance as well as on stage that looked magical.

Akanksha wore a multicolored lehenga designed by Fulki and created using exquisite Benarasi silk. I opted for a custom-made suit by The Shirt Studio.

Wedding Our wedding was conducted in the morning, in accordance with South Indian rituals. Akanksha was rather thrilled about being a South Indian bride. The venue was decorated in yellow and orange marigolds which were all things bright, beautiful and traditional.

I wore a cotton dhoti-shella for the Kashi yatra and silk dhoti-shella for the wedding. Akanksha entered the venue under a phoolon ki chaddar wearing a green and yellow saree and changed into a white saree paired with a red blouse later.

Post Wedding Functions After the wedding, we exchanged garlands and played a few fun games designed for newly weds. We also changed into new clothes. I wore a golden kurta with a jacket while she opted for a red saree.

Advice For Couples Cliché but important – it’s never too early to start the wedding prep. The sooner you begin, the better will you’ll be able to plan and bring to life the dreams you have for your special day. Referrals are one of the most reliable ways of finding good vendors and it worked out pretty well in our case.

A fun-filled cocktail and sangeet in a palace, pheras in a temple-style mandap and a glamorous reception - Rajan and Vishakha's wedding celebrations lit up the historic city of Orchha. Here, the bride shares highlights from her big day held at the Orchha Palace & Convention Centre.

How We Met “Rajan and I met through an arranged marriage setting. It happened just seven days before he left for London and in this short period, we met, talked to each other and exchanged rings. Everything happened in a blink of an eye, and we believe that all of it was planned and destined to be. We had nine months before the wedding which included a couple of meetings that helped us understand each other better. Sometimes it was difficult due to the difference in time zones, but we made it work.”

Wedding Venue “The wedding venue was a major decision for all of us. I had always dreamt of a royal palace wedding with all the traditions and special ceremonies. We started visiting different locations and finally picked Orchha Palace & Convention Centre in Madhya Pradesh since it was easily accessible from our hometowns. The elegance of the palace caught our eyes immediately, and everything in it was perfect, including the massive ballroom, beautiful lawn adorned with rocks and sculptures. The poolside arrangements were perfect for the theme we had planned for our cocktail night.”

Wedding Planning “Thanks to WeddingSutra, we found the perfect photographer for our needs. Here, I’d like to give a big shout out to Himanshu Jangid Photography and his team who captured our wedding moments in a special way. Our wedding planners were based in Lucknow, and their ideas and color schemes were perfectly designed keeping in mind the location. ”

Wedding Functions

Cocktail and Sangeet “The poolside cocktail night with LED lighting set up in all four directions gave full coverage to the event. The colors used went perfectly with the cocktail mood of all the guests. It was a crazy night with fun, family, friends, and love. A wine-dine setup was arranged, and the entire venue was illuminated with the beautiful color scheme.”

Pheras “The wedding decor included a temple-shaped mandap adorned all over with jasmine blooms. I made an entry on a floral palanquin and walked to the mandap on a bed of roses. It was such a gorgeous setup that our guests talk about it until today. Every girl dreams of wearing a Sabyasachi or a Manish Malhotra creation on her big day. I too had big dreams for my big day, and there was only one person who could have justified the look I dreamt of. My sister designed my wedding lehenga with crystal and zardozi embellishments. It featured paintings of Mughal beauties adorning themselves for the emperors in the panels of the skirt. The tassels were eye-catching with our names ‘Rajan-Vishakha’ written in bold letters. I carried two dupattas and a beautifully embroidered belt around the waist. The lehenga was based on a concept of royalty and grandeur. Rajan's outfit matched my look very well.”

Reception “The theme of the royal reception matched the palace venue perfectly. Rajan and I made an entry in regal avatars. I chose an Arabic makeover for the reception and wore a stunning ensemble with a magnificent tail. The Arabian ‘passa’ (forehead ornament) gave me accentuated the royal bridal vibe.”

Advice for couples “This is the only day you’ll feel like a prince and a princess! So couples should live in the moment, cherish each second and make beautiful memories. Just remember, this is the biggest day of your lives so be positive, leave the flaws behind and head towards a new beginning with love and laughter.”

Rhea and Snehal knew there was no better place to exchange their vows than the town where their love story first began. They flew back from the US and got on board two WeddingSutra Favorites to be a part of their big day. While the team at Reflexion by Nishchay Shinde was assigned the job of capturing their wedding celebrations in timeless frames, makeup whiz Kajol R. Paswwan was given the responsibility of making the bride look her most beautiful. Rhea shares highlights of her big day.

How We Met“We both were born and brought up in Vasai, a small town on the outskirts of Mumbai. All our lives we stayed five minutes from each other and had dozens of mutual friends and went to the same school (he was my senior by five years) but our paths never crossed. Snehal first saw me at an anniversary party back in December 2009 and vividly remembers my big eyes and the pesky pimple I was sporting. It was only two years later that fate, my cupid cousin who also happens to be Snehal’s best friend and few online clicks finally brought us together. He made the first move and said ‘Hi’ - I responded with question marks. I knew of him but just wanted to give him a hard time! Lucky for me, he didn't give up that easy. That random chat preceded a series of daily conversations, and before we knew it, we found ourselves talking to each other for hours until sunrise. We went on our first date when he finally came home from San Diego in December 2011. Needless to say, we hit it off immediately. After a month of many wonderful dates and a very tearful goodbye later, we knew we were in love. In 2013, I decided to move to Montreal for my Master's degree and just to be a little closer to him. It wasn't easy, but after almost two years of Skype calls and online movie/dinner dates, we met again in San Diego, and it was perfect. This was a big milestone for us and the time when he knew he wanted to marry me.”

ProposalSnehal shares how he proposed to Rhea. “At some point when I was moving ahead with life with her by my side, I realized that I wanted this to keep happening, forever. I found the perfect ring and waited until Rhea decided to take one of her usual yearly trips to San Diego in the summer of 2015. I picked her up from the airport and decided to take her to Mount Soledad after a very low-key dinner. It is one of our favorite spots in San Diego especially at night, the relaxing vibes and peaceful views of the city from this hilltop is everything. When it was almost the time to leave. I got down on one knee, pretending to tie my shoelace but instead pulled out the ring and waited for her to turn around. While she was still trying to figure out what was happening, I took the opportunity to ask her to marry me. I will never forget the way she looked confused with tears in her eyes and said, ‘Yes! Yes!’”

Wedding Venue“After six years of our long-distance relationship that started in Vasai, we knew we wanted to get married there. It’s home for us and holds a very special place in our lives. The wedding ceremony took place at dusk and was held at my childhood church of ‘Our Lady of Remedy, a stunning 400-year-old cathedral in Vasai village which made a perfect setting for the ceremony. After we took our vows, the reception was held later that same evening at Snehal’s parent place. An empty ground in their backyard that served as the perfect blank canvas for us to conceptualize our rustic outdoor wedding and was large enough to host 1200+ guests. The best part was the spectacular view of the pitch-black sky above and dancing the night away beneath the stars with our family and friends.”

Wedding Planning“The wedding day goes by in a flash. So we made sure to take mental snapshots throughout the day. Besides that, we also invested in a good photographer/videographer, since their work is the way you’ll relive every moment for years to come! Hiring Reflexion was the truly best decision we made!”

Wedding Function

Wedding“Unlike most Indian weddings, ours was a one-day affair. The Catholic ceremony was officiated by my Godfather who is also a priest, at my parish church and we exchanged traditional vows at the altar in front of our family and friends. I wore an alabaster ombre tulle ball gown by Miss Hayley Paige with iridescent Chantilly lace appliqués on the side of the bodice for the ceremony and reception. It was a perfect combination of what I envisioned my dress to be - whimsical, modern yet romantic. For the ceremony, I paired the gown with a chapel-length veil with a Chantilly lace border with a conservative Jenny Yoo cover up. Snehal had the ‘I found the perfect suit’ moment when he first tried on his Ermenegildo Zegna suit. The moment I walked down the aisle until the end of the ceremony, we both couldn’t take our eyes off each other. After we became husband and wife, we gathered with our guests for photos before heading back to the reception.”

Reception“Since we were on a time crunch and a full outfit change was not possible, I decided to play around with the accessories. For the reception, I donned a Miss Hayley Paige angel wings bolero to add a fun twist to my minimalistic gown. The processional to Snehal’s family home and the reception was led by our wedding tribe dancing to the tunes of East Indian folk songs. We held a cocktail-style reception, serving his and her signature cocktails – Peach Bellini (Bride recommends) & Mint Julep (Groom recommends) followed by dinner and more dancing. Regarding the decor, the overall vibe was very rustic and vintage with a sprinkle of glitz and glamor. I wanted lots of whites and pastel flowers in the setup. We also decided to incorporate flower suspensions with cages and arches of different heights for more dimension. Some of our favorite decor pieces were the entrance bamboo tunnel with string lights, floral swing photo booth, lounge cages and extravagant cocktail bar that made Snehal very happy. The Wedding Factory truly brought our decor visions to life.”

With an eye on gorgeous, nature inspired décor, a mandap swapped for an ancient tree, a unicorn in a pool and some scintillating performances, Aashna and Bhisham’s wedding was a dream come true for them and one that their guests will never forget. Their breathtaking nuptials at Karma Lakelands, Gurgaon were deftly captured by WeddingSutra Favourite WeddingNama.

Aashna shares with us the highlights of the #BhishKiAash wedding.

How We Met“For me, it was love at first sight,” Aashna begins. “I saw him at a pre-wedding shoot after which we had a little conversation. That was all it took for me to realize that he is the one. I called my friend and told her that I would marry this guy and here we are!”

Bhisham had a similar moment, “After the shoot, we met again at the wedding and had a Bollywood moment. I was dancing and hurt my leg and out of nowhere, she appeared and tied a cloth over the wound!”

When they met again in Mumbai after the wedding, that’s where the story began.

ProposalAashna smiles, “He proposed three days after Valentine’s Day because he didn’t want to be cheesy! We were traveling in the Philippines and he took me to a private island where he’d arranged for a massage and an amazing meal. Then we went to watch the sunset and there was a table set up and a musician playing in the middle of the water! A crowd of people had gathered and they all clapped and cheered for us when he proposed. It was something straight out of a Bollywood movie and I was entranced.”

Wedding VenueThe couple was married at the Karma Lakelands, Gurgaon. The bride says, “The way the decor by Aura turned out was amazing. We were clear all we wanted was open space and greenery. Nature had to be the key visual element and the place had to be decorated in a manner that enhanced its beauty further. The pheras at the golf course, under a tree was the dream come true for us.”

Wedding PlanningThe groom credits the team at Panodrama for their wedding planning smarts and intuition, “We worked very closely with them and they did a fantastic job with our wedding.”

Aashna says they were really focused on the décor for the vibe it brings to every celebration, “At weddings, certain decor elements can be very, very typical so we kept discussing fresh ideas with Gautam of Aura. We wanted to get married under a tree under so it had to be decorated beautifully. We also wanted the decor to reflect our values so a lot of the concept revolved around the same.”

The couple treated their guests to a live performance by Kailash Kher at the wedding because Bhisham had proposed to Aashna to his song.

Wedding Functions

MehendiThe couple’s mehendi was a day event and they wanted a fresh, lively vibe. The bride says, “Powder blue, baby pink, and white were the central shades used across various decor elements. A canopy was set up in the lawn, with its pillars covered in green leaves, white stripes suspended from the ceiling, a white floral backdrop with our wedding hashtag and a swing for us to sit on. For this function, I wore a Manish Arora lehenga with a blouse designed by ApurvaXoxo. Bhisham’s outfit was designed by Ajay Kumar from Bangalore.”

SangeetThe focal point of the sangeet decor was the unicorn set up in the middle of the pool. A blanket of fairy lights hung over the structure and the candles on the platform bathed the setup in a surreal glow. Behind the main stage was a colossal LED screen that matched visuals to the mood of the songs. The night saw several performances and lots of dancing.

Aashna wore a lehenga by Papa Don’t Preach By Shubhika that featured creative input from both bride and groom! She says, “It was bright, kitschy and truly one of a kind. Bhisham, on the other hand, went with a neutral color and opted for a black outfit by Kanav Davar from Gurgaon.”

WeddingAashna says that since the wedding was in the day, they chose colors that were easy on the eyes, “We paid a lot of attention to creating a set up that was nothing like anything else. One of the most radical alternatives was swapping the mandap for the shade of a ginormous tree for our pheras. The trunk was engulfed in a swirl of flowers and light drapes and elegant chandeliers festooned the branches.”

As for her lehenga, she says, “I have always dreamed of wearing a lehenga with my husband and my names embroidered on it so selecting the designer who would customize my wedding outfit was easy. I wore a creation by Koecsh by Kresha Bajaj and Bhisham picked out a pink outfit by Kanav Davar from Gurgaon.”

Advice for CouplesIt’s easy, she says, “Get a good wedding planner on board. When the wedding is far away, you can often feel like you will be able to manage everything very easily, but as the dates come closer the pressure increases and soon it doesn’t feel all that simple anymore. There is a lot of work that goes into putting up a wedding and wedding planners are experts in making your day special by taking the load off you and leaving you with the fun parts of the wedding.”

Prachi and Nilesh celebrated their grand Marwari wedding in Mumbai which was all about glamor, tradition and majestic entries. Here, we share highlights of the functions that were beautifully captured by WeddingSutra Favorite Israni Photography.

Wedding Functions

MehendiAfter an impromptu bridesmaids photo shoot in the hotel, the celebrations kicked off with the mehendi function. Prachi, who wanted a fresh look for this event, went with the ‘Punjabi Mela’ theme. Beautiful floral arrangements comprised the backdrop for the couple’s seating area, and the vibrant ensembles of the guests added gaiety to the function. Prachi wore an Anita Dongre creation for this fun event.

Sufi NightThe 'Sufi Night' was memorable with impressive performances by the talented Raja Hasan who mesmerized the gathering with his soulful tracks. The color theme for this night was red and gold. There were floral arrangements and drapes that adorned the seating arrangements and made the venue look stylish and picture-perfect.

Pool PartyThe pool party rocked with a DJ spinning foot-tapping tunes as the event with a carnival feel got underway. The vibe matched the beautiful outdoor environs perfectly. Prachi and Nilesh coordinated their bright blue outfits which added a splash of color to the fun vibe of the party.

SangeetSingers Sukriti Kakar and Vipul Mehta mesmerized guests with their beautiful performances at the sangeet. This was followed by a power packed performance by popular music composer brother duo Salim- Sulaiman. The color scheme used was designed around a regal look, so purple lights and majestic floral arrangements were artfully arranged. Prachi wore a dazzling Manish Malhotra creation for this evening.

WeddingThe last day of the celebrations included a traditional ‘Bhaat Ceremony.’ The wedding and reception took place the same day. The theme for the wedding was inspired by the movie 'Baahubali', and the creative decor and entry managed to create the feel and grandeur. Prachi wore a stunning maroon Sabyasachi bridal outfit with sharply defined earrings and standout jewelry, while Nilesh wore a golden sherwani with a maroon turban. Her entry was the highlight of this function as she looked like a royal princess seated on an elephant. The couple exchanged vows as the sun set which created a memorable ambiance at this auspicious event.

In India, gold is considered precious not just for its monetary worth, but for the weight it holds as a measure of emotion, the mark of a culture. Jewelry crafted in this lustrous metal is infused with sentiment, whispers from earlier generations, aspirations for the future – turning each piece into a very personal treasure.

The leading jewelry brand Azva understands the emotions of gold and uses this intuition to create Indian ornaments in 22-karat gold that are resplendent in design and have a life beyond the locker.

Each piece is an exemplar of fine craftsmanship and is a tapestry of threads that take you from an evening of cocktails to your best friend’s wedding to any occasion where you must accessorize with style and grace.

In collaboration with Azva, we at WeddingSutra put together bridal looks that can be explored on occasions other than your own wedding.

Finery from PLEATS By Kaksha & Dimple and Riddhi Majithia pair beautifully with the ornaments and are the ideal choice for the fashion-forward woman.

Makeup artist Lekha Shah of The Cut Collective created two diverse looks for bride-to-be Perneet Chauhan and completed each one of them with a do that was a perfect match.

Clicks Unlimited, staying true to their name, captured a number of stunning shots of Perneet in her gorgeous looks that highlighted her personal style wonderfully.

Look 1: Sister’s CocktailYou’re there in your role as supporting actress to the star – the perfect bridesmaid to your bride – and at the cocktail party, this Azva creation is the one for you. Geometric motifs and handcrafted granules of gold come together to create a luxurious modern necklace inspired by seven vows. Drops of pearl that skirt the piece add to its elegance making this a coveted bridal must-have. The matching ring and earrings further enhance the appeal.

This glimmering set works beautifully with an onion pink cold shoulder gown by Riddhi Majithia. Delicate floral motifs in gold and silver bloom on the bodice and delicately follow onto the skirt before scattering into a blitz of stardust.

This outfit and those Azva ornaments create a look that is joyous and festive.

Look 2: Best Friend’s MehendiSure the mehendi is one of the less formal events at weddings, but that’s no reason for you to slack off from looking uber glam!

This gorgeous jewelry worn with a wine red outfit by PLEATS By Kaksha & Dimple uses the deep delicious color as the perfect backdrop. The look has classic appeal and the white jacket brings a young and trendy vibe to the ensemble. A few more baubles from Azva are used to finish the look and the final result is magnificent!

Divya and Shawn were united in marriage at a destination wedding celebrated in Thailand at the magnificent InterContinental Pattaya Resort.The extravagant celebrations were captured in a wedding film shot by WeddingSutra Favourite Koro Films at the beautiful property in Pattaya.

Divya and Shawn’s is the perfectly simple love story with all the magic you could hope for. Bringing you every sparkling moment of emotion, grandeur and impeccable style, the film opens with a visual of the serene waves. We hear and then watch the father of the bride’ share a few words of wisdom and the secret to a successful marriage.

Then you are privileged to witness a gorgeous wedding, set in this tropical paradise. The events began with a traditional ceremony where the elders blessing the couple, followed by a fun night filled with performances and dancing. We also experience the couple's colorful nuptials, under a floral mandap overlooking gleaming waters. As the sun sets behind the swaying palms, friends and family treat the couple to a charming evening of speeches, performances and dancing to culminate an incredible celebration.

Koro Films captures the revelries skillfully, bringing you the spectrum of colors, evident excitement amongst the family members, the merrymaking and love in this wonderful wedding trailer.